Effectiveness of “Maghzineh” Cognitive Video Game on Reading Performance of Students with Learning Disabilities in Reading

Abstract

Individuals with learning disability in reading or dyslexia encounter many life difficulties including educational barriers in academic or social areas. Thus, they need support and therapy to overcome these difficulties. In this study, to assist this group of students, a serious cognitive game was played, and its effectiveness on reading performance of the participants was evaluated. A quasi-experimental research with pretest-posttest design with a control group was conducted to study the effectiveness of playing this game on reading performance of the students with learning disability. Based on teachers’ candidacy, some children who were suspected of having learning disability were screened and evaluated by the new version of Tehran-Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale. 20 students with learning disability were selected and assigned randomly to two experimental and control groups of 10 students each. The experimental group was trained for 24 sessions with “Maghzineh” serious video game, individually for a month. The control group received no intervention during the training sessions of the experimental group. NEMA test of reading performance (Moradi and Noori, 1387) was used to measure reading performance. The obtained data was analyzed using Multiple Analysis of Covariance (MANCOVA). Based on the findings, there was a significant difference between the experimental and the control group in reading performance in students with learning disabilities.